Watching America

Kristen Bell has created quirky, likable characters for "The Good Place" and "Veronica Mars." Her new book, "The World Needs More Purple People," is about unity and tolerance. She joins Dr. Alan Campbell to discuss the inspiration behind it, plus her new cartoon character on "Central Park," and her life.

Adam Conover blows up myths and reveals surprising truths. He's the creator, writer and host of ADAM RUINS EVERYTHING, just wrapping up its final season. He also just launched the podcast, FACTUALLY!, where he interviews experts who reveal the secrets behind subjects from the US Constitution to mass incarceration to climate change. Dr. Alan Campbell welcomes Adam to a fascinating discussion about...

Terry O’Quinn, of Lost and Emergence fame, is one of the most compelling character actors of his generation. Dr. Alan Campbell explores the craft of acting with this singular talent. O'Quinn even plays a little guitar for Alan. This episode first aired on October 17, 2019.

Boredom can be one of the most excruciating emotions you experience. But sometimes it's the beginning of something wonderful - inventions, books, art and music. Dr. Alan Campbell explores all the ways we can use boredom with Manoush Zomorodi, the host of NPR's TED Radio Hour, and author and artist Hans Wilhelm. A packed, exciting episode about boredom? Watching America promises to pull it off.

Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino is known for her wide range of work over the course several decades. Now, she stars in a provocative new series, "Hollywood," which reimagines the golden age of entertainment. Dr. Alan Campbell welcomes her to "Watching America" to discuss her life, her work and her fascinating career.

Writing as Lemony Snicket, author Daniel Handler has given countless children important life lessons about tragic accidents, conspiracies, reptiles, secret societies, doom and malevolence. He talks to Dr. Alan Campbell about his work and career, and what to do to alleviate boredom. A charming, truly weird edition of Watching America.

We hear from a former secret service agent who studied abnormal and forensic psychology. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke just published her memoir, The Protector: A Woman’s Journey from the Secret Service to Guarding VIPS and Working in Some of the World’s Most Dangerous Places. Janke shares her harrowing adventures around the world, along with some tips on how to stay calm in the middle of crisis.

New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill covers the disturbing ways that scientific advances impact our privacy. The story she recently uncovered about new facial recognition tools is truly shocking. Host Dr. Alan Campbell talks to Hill about the strange and disquieting implications these technologies have for all of us. Also, "The Running Mates" are a husband and wife singing duo whose reinventi...

Jeb Corliss has jumped off the Eiffel Tower, the Seattle Space Needle, the statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, and more. If you wonder what makes a daredevil tick, you'll enjoy this conversation between Corliss and host Dr. Alan Campbell about God, death, fear, and the meaning of life.

We are delighted to bring you a conversation with the inimitable Carol Burnett. Dr. Alan Campbell speaks with the comedy legend about her early life, her work, and the world behind the stage. We apologize in advance for the singing at the end, but you'll likely be singing along.

Bob Dylan's new ballad "Murder Most Foul" has been described as a "work of epic genius." Join us to listen to the piece in its entirety (17 minutes) along with other story songs we can't forget.

What's the point of art? What can it do for us in times like these? What does it demand, and could it save us? Dr. Alan Campbell digs into these questions with doctor-doctor-doctor Jerry Saltz, art critic and author of How to be An Artist .

The Black Dahlia murder case is one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in American history. Steve Hodel was a retired LAPD homicide detective who began investigating this cold case and realized the trail led to his own father. Dr. Alan Campbell talks to Hodel about his discoveries. Hodel's books include Black Dahlia Avenger ; Most Evil: Avenger, Zodiac, and the Further Serial Murders of Dr. Geo...

Caroline Johnson could have gone into fashion or filmmaking (she was a debutante), but instead she became an F/A-18 Super Hornet Weapons System Officer. She was one of the first women to fly a combat mission over Iraq since 2011, and one of the first women to drop bombs on ISIS. Dr. Alan Campbell talks to Johnson about what motivated her to join the Navy and what she experienced. Johnson's book is...

At 16, he was the leader of one of the first neo-Nazi skinhead gangs in the country. But he found redemption and formed the Free Radicals Project to help people leave hate behind. Christian Picciolini talks to Dr. Alan Campbell about his life as a violent racist, and his journey back. Picciolini's memoir Romantic Violence: Memoirs of an American Skinhead details his time as a leader of the white p...

Puddles the Clown is one of the most unique performers on the scene today. He is famous for stunning, sometimes bizarre, often moving reinventions of classic songs. Some say that the alter-ego of the clown is Mike Geier. Dr. Alan Campbell talks to Geier and attempts to unravel the mysteries that surround this phenomenon.

Christine M. Bacon, PhD is an author, speaker, trainer and the radio talk-show host of "Breakfast with Bacon: The Relationship Doctor." Her latest book, "The Super Couple: A Formula for Extreme Happiness in Marriage," was released by Koehler Books for Valentine's Day 2016. In her conversation with Dr. Alan Campbell, Bacon explains her belief that every marriage can and should be saved.

The upsurge of Coronavirus reminded the Watching America crew of a recent guest, namely, bestselling author Richard Preston ( The Hot Zone , Crisis in the Red Zone , The Cobra Event ). He visited with us again to share his take on the developing situation as Coronavirus spreads. Also included is a portion of his initial interview with Dr. Alan Campbell regarding how well-prepared we are for the ne...

The Grateful Dead is one of the most influential groups in American music history. More than 20 years after the death of band leader Jerry Garcia, the Deadhead culture which grew up around musicians is still very viable. Dr. Alan Campbell will explore this unique phenomenon with fans and experts who have followed this phenomenon through the ages. Special guests: Dennis McNally, author of Jerry on...

What destroys a happy marriage? Divorce lawyer James Sexton has spent decades learning the answers to this question. Now he’s written a book about it, How to Stay in Love. Sexton shares his surprising insight with Dr. Alan Campbell.

He grew up in a violent, chaotic home. He contemplated becoming a mass shooter. Now Aaron Stark speaks openly with Dr. Alan Campbell about what it took to drive him to his darkest point and what it took to save him. Watching America explores the culture of violence in our country--where it comes from and how people who've been hurt can help others. TED talk with Aaron Stark: https://www.ted.com/ta...

Author Casey Cep's first book, "Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee," is a New York Times Best Seller. Listen to Alan Campbell's conversation with Cep to find out what makes this work so compelling. From Penguin Random House: Reverend Willie Maxwell was a rural preacher accused of murdering five of his family members for insurance money in the 1970s. With the help of a s...

Jamie Elmore is the owner of JSalon in Seattle, WA. Ironically, in 2004, she was diagnosed with Alopecia, an auto-immune disorder that causes hair loss. We listen to the many dimensions of difficulty Elmore experienced, which ultimately led her to found the Alopecia Support Group in 2009, which now reaches people with the condition across the globe. https://www.alopeciasupportgroup.org/

Emily Flake produces delightfully funny cartoons for The New Yorker. Now, she has grappled with our strange rituals of affection in THAT WAS AWKWARD: THE ART AND ETIQUETTE OF THE AWKWARD HUG. She talks to Dr. Campbell about her work and her insight on Watching America. Then, we will discuss oddball dating behavior with Washington Post writer Lisa Bonos.

The impulse to hoard can be devastating to you and everyone around you. Dr. Alan Campbell will talk to Elizabeth Nelson, the spokesperson of Children of Hoarders, about living in a family with people who suffer from this condition. We will also hear from Matt Paxton, the founder of Clutter Cleaner and author of The Secret Lives of Hoarders. Paxton will tell us about his work helping older people d...